New platform for my Gryphon Memphisto

[TOGA]

I return all phono stage, and continue using Moon 310+320 for the time being.
I tried Accuphase C27, Lamm 2.0, Burmester 100, Moon 610, ARC REF2Se, Aesthetix Rhea Signature.
I learnt strength and weakness of each.

Now will collect money for TT+Arm first. Before buying new phono stage.
It is likely to be TW Acustic Raven black Night and Tw 10.5 arm.
Initially, cart may be Ortofon 2M Black or Cadenza Bronze, due to limited fund.
In the future will go more exotic cart.

Toga

[chessman]

Toga, your commitment to this hobby is inspiring!

[audio bill]

Toga - I find the Cadenza Bronze to be an exceptional cartridge that is competitive well beyond its price range and far superior to the 2M Black. It is however about three times as expensive and being from the same manufacturer it should be at a different performance level. Sounds like you will be getting a very nice setup, enjoy it!

[TOGA]

Now a long term planing is a platform for new turntable. I like both CMS and SRA. With two different approach, one is to separate platform for motor and turntable, and one Is to share. Dealer told me to separate is more expensive as CMS charge as per piece. No matter how small. While SRA is very slow to reply my email. Here are a nice picture of TW on CMS and SRA, nice.

[TOGA]

Originally Posted by chessman

Toga, your commitment to this hobby is inspiring!

Someone pls help me stop doing this. .. I want to stop, but I just can't.. I love good sound and that never come cheap. Toga
Anyway, my goal is all about musicality. When I have it, upgrade bug is gone. I didn't touch my preamp, digital source, speaker cables for 3-4 years. For TT, I just have to have a good one because I don't have one yet.

[analog brother]

i'm inspired too. keep going on your pursuit!
life is too short and you can't turn back time.

[TOGA]

More .

For demo purpose only. (For now)
Toga

[thesaint519]

Originally Posted by TOGA

More . For demo purpose only. (For now) Toga

NICE!! How'd they impact your sound?

[TOGA]

Originally Posted by thesaint519

NICE!! How'd they impact your sound?

I must say, this is the first time that I listened to an audio rack, sound crazy. and I is the most labor intensive comparison test ever. . ! all the weight and all the cables. I have four piece of electronics, transport+Dac and 2-pieces preamp. I have two sets of CMS PKX and two Black Platinum Mk II boards, two of Black Sapphire MK II boards. the hardware to assemble PKX are missing, the spikes were not installed. so the rack is put on carpet directly. Due to laziness, I use PKX only for Transport and power supply of preamp. for DAC and preamp I just put CMS boards directly onto existing Finite Elemente rack. I use the thicker Plaitinum boards for both Accuphase. and thinner Sapphire for Audio Research.

Now the music .. really in the first five minutes, I felt hey I am lucky, I couldn't hear anything special nothing was wrong and nothing special. Also my wife just love how FE rack look while the CMS looks just like locally made rack. I felt I am safe .

But hey.. after my heart rate slowed down ( from moving all those masses ) oh no.. and I keep listening for hours. oh no.. Now the improvement is very real ! CMS always recommend 100 for there shelf to fully adjusted to components weight. But in the first night the improvement is huge. There is smoothness.. there is unforced low level detail.. there is so natural decays. every pieces of sound is now woven together in a very natural ways. Solo piano recording showed all these very clearly. one thing that I felt might be reduced may be amount of deep bass impact. it's there but I felt the thump in the chest feel is reduced by a bit. on heavy metal music, the electric guitar steps ahead of guitar bass and kick drum.

To make sure I was not under self biased imagination. Today will remove all CMS out and listen again to the same music. Well, I think black rack matched color of my speakers and amplifier better too. Toga

[TOGA]

Very interesting,
Back to Finite Elemente, I can hear the different very clearly.
FE gave more deep bass weight, denser main sound, but most of the decay and trailing are gone.

CMS is like the same music with level just slightly reduced, and with reverb. added by a few click.
It' s like listening in a very large and more reflective room.

So now there is a trade off involved besides $$$ I have to throw in for 2 sets of PKX.

Toga